Kavasji Katrak

Last updated
Khan Bahadur
Sir
Kavasji Hormusji Katrak
OBE
Born1856
Bombay
Died24 June 1946
Karachi, British India
SpouseKhorshedbanu Katrak
Children Sohrab Katrak
FatherHormusji Katrak

Sir Kavasji Hormusji Katrak (1856 - 24 June 1946) was a Parsi businessman of Karachi. He was associated with several institutions in British India. The Sohrab Katrak Parsi Colony was founded by him. [1]

Contents

Early life

Kavasji Hormusji Katrak was born in 1856. His father was Sir Hormusji Katrak, a prominent Parsi that had been knighted by George V. [2] [3] The name 'Katrak' was an ancient family from the Indian subcontinent. [4] Kavasji Katrak was living in Bombay prior to the start of his business career. [4]

Career

In 1874, Katrak left Bombay to begin his career. He came to Rawalpindi and found employment at Jamasji & Sons, where he worked at for a period of 18 years, before eventually coming to Karachi, where he established Katrak & Co in 1891. [4] [5] Katrak & Co. was an import company, which became very successful. [6] [ page needed ] He served on several Government organisations, including the Karachi Port Trust, Karachi Municipality, North Western State Railway's Advisory Committee, and the Daily Gazette [1]

Philanthropy

Katrak was part of several philanthropic projects, including the Virbaijee Katrak Maternity Wing (constructed in 1917 as an extension to the Lady Dufferin Hospital), [7] the Khorshedbai Katrak Parsi Home, the YMZA (Young Mens Zoroastrian Association), the Hormusji Katrak Hall (erected in 1920), [8] the Sohrab Katrak library, the Katrak Swimming Bath (since declared a heritage site) [9] and the Sohrab Katrak Parsi Colony. As a result of his philanthropic contributions, he was appointed an Associate Commander of the Most Venerable Order of Saint John in 1941.

Personal life

Katrak married Khorshed Banu [10] and had one son and five daughters. [11]

His son, Sohrab Katrak served as Mayor of Karachi and authored three books, Message Eternal, Who are the Parsis [2] and Through Amanullah's Afghanistan.

His daughters include Meherbai, who married Burjorji Madan, son of Jamshedji Framji Madan [11] and Dinbai, a social worker who married Indian cricketer Hormasji Vajifdar. [6]

Katrak was a Freemason, [1] having joined the fraternity in 1877 during his time in Rawalpindi. He was knighted by George V [2] on 1 January 1942. [12]

Death

Katrak died on 24 June 1946 in Karachi. [13] [4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Parsi Lustre on Indian Soil. 1953. pp. 36–37.
  2. 1 2 3 "Katrak, Sohrab Kawasji Hormuzdyar". www.zoroastrian.org.uk.
  3. ↑ Golwalla, Sunnu Farrokh (2002). Sands of time: History of Karachi, Zarthosti, Banu Mandal 1912 to 2000 and Sketch of Zarathushti Associations in Karachi. Karachi Zarthosti Banu Mandal.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Biographical Encyclopedia of Pakistan. Biographical Research Institute, Pakistan. 1961. pp. 1009–1010.
  5. ↑ "A great dust heap". 7 May 2011.
  6. 1 2 Dadachanji, Faredun Kavasji (1989). Parsis, Ancient and Modern and Their Religion: Never Before Has So Much Been Achieved by So Few. Victoria Print. Works.
  7. ↑ "Distressed Lady Dufferin". 5 July 2009.
  8. ↑ "All the world's a stage". 28 November 2010.
  9. ↑ "Library threatened by Malir Expressway gets heritage status". 3 October 2024.
  10. ↑ The Pakistan Year Book & Who's Who. Kitabistan. 1949. p. 864.
  11. 1 2 Modi, Nawaz B (1998). The Parsis in Western India, 1818 to 1920. Allied Publishers. ISBN   978-81-7023-894-2.
  12. ↑ Katrak, Sohrab K.H. Who Are The Parsees?. p. 292.
  13. ↑ Giara, Marzban Jamshedji (2000). Parsi Statues. available from, Marzban J. Giara. p. 137.
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